Hydraulic valve lifting mechanism



Dec. 22, 1942. v E, LOSSAU 2,306,131

HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1940 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Q IN ENTOR. gm Earl L OSSCZLL ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 22, 1942. oss u HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 291940' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Earifiassclu 4 aw na -MW ATTORNEYS.

actuating mechanism;

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC VALVELIFTING MECHANISM Earl Lossau, Chicago, Ill. Application .lanuary 29,1940, Serial No. 316,151

11 Claims.

This invention relates to valve operating mechanism for internalcombustion engines and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved mechanism for operating valves that are used in internalcombustion engines and other places where the valve stems vary in lengthdue to environmental heat.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedvalve operating mechanism that is provided with means for automaticallycompensating for elongation and contraction of the valve stems duringthe operation of the engine. 1

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedmechanism for engaging the plunger's of the operating mechanism foropening the valves of the engine dur: ing its operation.

Another object of the invention isthe provision of new and improvedhydraulic'mechanism for operating the valves of internal combustionengines together with novel means for replenishing the liquid in themechanism and for main-. taining substantially constant pressure on theing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an internal com- It is commonpractice, in.- the construction of internal combustion engines, toprovide tappets, in one form or another, foroperating the valves from acam shaft but since the valve stem-abecome elongated by heat, it isnecessary to provide clearance between the tappets and valve. stems tocompensate for the elongation. In-

, creaseof speed or an increase in the temperamm of the surrounding airmay cause the engine to run at higher temperatures and this in turn willcause additional expansion. or elongation of the valve stems. At highspeeds, ifthere is too much clearance between the valve and the tappet,considerable noise is developed and the timin is not accurate. Ifsufilcient clearance is not provided, then the elongation of the stemwillprevent the proper seating of the valves.

The present invention seeks to eliminate the necessity for the useoftappets by the provision of mechanism whereby a column of oil, underpressure, may be employed for operating the valves direct. In theconventional internal combustion en gine, a cam shaft is employed foroperating the tappets, a cam for each tappet. The cam shaft extendsalong the engine so that the cams come opposite the valves. The frictionbetween the bustion engine showing the invention in position thereon;

Fig.2 is a vertical section of one of the valve actuatingmembers;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the Fig. 4 is a section onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the valve operating mechanism shown inFig. 6; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference,

-a cylinder head I4 in which are mounted the intake. and dischargevalves I5 and I6, respectively, for the engine. with a spring I! forseating the same in the usual manner. Since the details of the engineconstitute no part of the invention, it is not thought necessarytofurther illustrate or describe the same;

Each valve is provided cam and its tappet is such as to causeconsiderable wear on the tappet which in turn necessitatesadjusting ofthe clearance between the tappet and the valve at comparatively'frequentintervals, especially in engines used-in aeroplanes, racing cars, andother high speed engines.

The present invention eliminates this difflculty by the provision of aminimum number of cams or eccentrics mounted on a short eccentric shaftor shaft having eccentrics thereon and provided with ball bearing.contact members for reducing wear between the .parts to a minimum. 1

The mechanism for operating the valves is an attachment that maybereadily applied to the conventional engine of the valve-in-head type.This mechanism comprises what for convenience.

'willbe termed actuating mechanism 20, Fig. 5,

and actuated means or mechanism 20a, Fig. 2 The former forces a liquidthrough a connecting conduit 48 for operating the latter and the latterin turn operates the corresponding valve, that is, the valve isopenedwhen these mechanisms are operated. v

The actuating mechanism is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises a casingl8 which is adapted to be secured to the cylinder block II in anysuitable manner. This casingis in sections and comprises a unit 2| whichcarries cylinders 24 employed in controlling the operation of the intakevalves and which, for convenience of description. will be termed theintake unit or intake valve control unit, and a unit 34 which carbothbands or rings.

' rings 23, 3| and ring 42.

ries cylinders 24a. employed in controlling the operation of the exhaustvalves and will termed the exhaust unit or exhaust control unit, Fig. 5.These units are alike except that they are rights and lefts.

The intake unit 2| comprises a pair of circular concentric bands orbroad rings 22 and 23, Fig. 3, which are spaced apart to assist informing an oil reservoir 35, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of thedrawings. These bands have attached thereto, or integral therewith, thecylinders 24 which have their inner ends attached to, or integral with,the inner band 23 and extend radially outwardly beyond the outer band22. The bore or each cylinder extends through There isa cylinder 24 foreach intake valve of the engine, there being four in the presentconstruction.

, The cylinders 24 have, what will be termed, their forward walls orsurfaces flush with the forward edges of the bands 22 and 23 and a frontplate 25 engages the front edges of the bands 22 and 23, as shown inFig. 5, to form an oil-tight joint. The plate 25 is provided with arearwardly extending hub 26 which fits in the opening 21 within theinner ring 23 of the unit 2|. The cylinders 24 each have, in the rearwall, adjacent the ring 22, an opening 28 for the passage of oil intoand out of the cylinder, as will presently appear. 7

The exhaust control unit 34 is a complement of the intake unit 2| and issimilar in construction thereto. The cylinders 24a of this unit aremounted on, or cast integral with, a pair of concentric bands 3|, 32 inthe same manner as the cylinders 24 of the previous construction. Sincethe construction of the cylinders 24a and bands 3|, 32 are substantiallythe same, except rights and lefts, as the cylinders 24 and bands Hand.23 of the unit 2|, it is not thought necessary to repeat the descriptionat this point further than to say that the cylinders 24a have openings23 in their front walls opposite the openings 28 of the cylinders 24for'the intake and discharge of oil from the passage 33 into and out ofthe cylinders 24a.

The cylinders 24 of the intake unit are spaced forwardly from the rearedge of the bands 22 and 23 and the cylinders 24a of the exhaust unitare spaced rearwardly from the front edge of the bands 3| and32 so thatwhenthe two units are placed together, as shown in Fig. 5; there will bean oil passage 33 between them, as shown'in the circumferentiallyrelative to each other in order that they may be set so as tocause theplungers 36 and 31 to operate in proper timed relation. Each cylinder ofthe intake unit is provided with a plunger 36 and each cylinder of theexhaust unit is also provided with a plunger 31, as shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings. Since the plungers and cylinders aresubstantially alike,only one need be described.

The plunger 31 of the cylinder-24, Fig. 5, will now be described. It hasits inner end curved in cross-section, as shown at 38, in Fig. 5, andits outer end is hollow for receiving a spring 33 for normally urgingthe plunger 31 inwardly.

Suitable means are provided for limiting the inward movements of theplungers of both the intake and exhaust units. Asshown, the inneradjacent edges of the inner bands 23 and 3| are rabbeted to form agroove 4| when the parts are assembled. An annular ring 42, having anannular projection engaging in the rabbets, is provided for thispurpose. The lateral edge portions of the ring are beveled ofi to formthe inclined surfaces 44 and 45 on which the curved surface of the innerends of the plungers 36 and 31 is adapted to seat for limiting theirinward movement.

The outer ends of each of the cylinders of both units are provided withmeans for attaching communicating conduits thereto. Any suitable meansmay be employed for this purpose. In the form of the construction shown.the outer end of each cylinder is internally threaded and has attachedthereto a threaded head 46' which is provided with an axial internallythreaded tapered bore for receiving a threaded stud 41 through whichextends a conduit 48 having its lower end expanded and secured inposition by the stud 41.

Suitable means are provided for operating the plungers 36' and 31 intimed relation. In the form of construction selected to illustrate oneembodiment of the invention, an eccentric or cam shaft 52 having whatwill be termed the lower portion of Fig. 5. There will al so'be achamber49 formed in the interior of the casing extending axially thereofand surrounded by the The spacesbetween the cylinders 24 and thosebetween the cylinders 24a,

intake eccentric or cam 54 and spaced angularly 180 therefrom an exhausteccentric or cam 53 therein is employed for this purpose. The shaft 52extends axially through the chamber 49 and is mounted in antifrictionbearings 55 in a recess formed in the cap plate 26 and itsrear end isenlarged and the enlargement mounted in antifriction bearings 56 mountedin an axial opening in the plate '30 and there are also antifrictionbearings 51 mounted within a recess in a casing 56 which encloses a gear53 that rotates the eccentric shaft to which it is keyed and which isrotated through suitable gearing I00 from the crankshaft III of theengine 3 at one-half the when the parts are assembled, will constituteareservoir 35 between the inner and outer rings of by bolts 50 whichclamp the parts together. These bolts extend through openings 60 in theend plates 30 and through the slots forming the oil reservoir 35 so thatthe units may be adjusted A plate '30 7 speed of said crankshaft. Inorder to reduce the wear and frictional resistance to a minimum, asuitable antifriction bearing, such as the ball bearing 6|, ismounted oneachof the eccentrics .or cams 54 and 53. These ball bearings are heldin position by retainer rings 62 at each side of the ball bearings whichengage corresponding grooves in the eccentrics, as is usual in suchconstructions.

The actuated means or mechanism 20a for operating theintake and exhaustvalves of the from the enlarged bore 84 to the outer end of the housing.The bore 64 has mounted therein a spring 11, the inner end of whichengages a bearing 66 for the stem 61 of the valve 15. The bearingextends through the cylinder head I4, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer endportion of the the relief valve 85 and conduit 94 into the crank valvestem 61 is provided with an abutment membore. The inner end of the stud1| isvnormally spaced from the outer end of the plunger 69 so as to forman oil space or chamber 12. The housing 83 is provided with a lateralopening 13 which is in communication with the chamber 12 and hasattached therein the upper end of the conduit 48 by a suitablepipefitting 14.

It will thus be seen that as oil is forced by the corresponding plunger31 of the actuating mechanism into the tube 48, it will cause oil in theupper end of the tube 48 to flow into the chamber 12 under pressure thusforcing the piston 89 inwardly against the end of the valve 61 foropening the same, as will presently appear.

Suitable means are provided for maintaining oil under pressure withinthe reservoir 35 for supplying oil to the cylinders of the actuatingmechanism. Any suitable mechanism may bev employed for this purpose. Inthe formof the construction shown, a pump is employed. The pump 15 maybe of any suitable form, that shown being of the conventional gear type.The pump ered so'that the oil under pressure from the reservoir willcompletely fill the cylinder and also f the conduit 48 and the space 65above the plunger 69 of the actuated mechanismZII. Upon the 15 has itsintake in communication with the oil in the crankcase and its dischargein communication with a conduit 16, the upper end of which is secured ina housing 11 attached to the upper wall of the actuating mechanism, asshown in the cylinder out through the opening 29sinto, the reservoir 35..After the piston .moVesout- Fig. 6. The housing 11 comprises, an uppersec- 1 tion 18 and a lower section 19 which are adapted to be attachedto the upper wall of-the actuating mechanism 20 as by means of the capbolts8l which extend through both sections and are threaded into thewall of the casing for the actu- The lower section 19 is ating mechanism20. provided with a bore 82 which is in alinement with an opening 83through the casing of the actuating mechanism 20 and has, on its outerend.

a valve seat 84 on which is seated a relief ball' valve 85.

The upper section 18 is provided with a bore 85 for housing a spring 81that has a bearing against the relief valve 85. The outer end of theupper section 18 is closed and means are provided in the outer end forregulating the compression of the spring 81. As shown, a stud 88 havinga shoulder member 89 for forming an abutment for the outer end of thespring is provided for this purpose. A look nut 9i locks the bolt inadjusted position. The housing is provided with an intake passage 92,inwardly of the relief valve 85, in which the upper end of the conduit15 is secured. The housing is also provided with another opening 93above the valve 85 in which is secured the upper end of an overflow pipe94. the lower end of which is attached to the crankcase so that oil fromthe pump is forced through the conduit 18, bore 82 and opening 83 intothe reserform of the construction shown, the ratio is 3 to 1; that is,the ,plunger 89fmoves three times the voir 35 for maintaining the oiltherein under 7 pressure and when the pressure exceeds a predeaccumulatein the housing will be discharged through the relief valve 85.

In the operation of the engine, the oil pump is continuously operated soas to'maintain a predetermined pressure on the oil inthe reservoir 35 ashas been already described. As the eccentric shaft 53 is rotated, theball bearing on.

the eccentrics 53 and 54 will engage the plunger of the intake andexhaust units for forcing these plungers outwardly against the tensionof the springs 39 and the springs will return the plungers to theirseats on the inclined surfaces 44 and 45 after the shaft has turned theeccenf trics so that the ball bearing does not engage the" plungers. Theball hearings will strike the plungers atan angle to the radius of thebearings and this will cushion the blow .as the outerv ring of the ballbearing will turn when struck The outer ring of and'roll across theplunger.

the ball hearing will rotate in the opposite direction from that of theeccentric shaft.

Assuming that a plunger, such as 31 in Fig. 5, is

at its lowermost position, the opening 29 in the forward wall of thecylinder 24a will be uncovengagement of the ball bearing of theeccentric 53, with the inner end of th plunger 31, the plunger will moveupwardly forcing excess oil 'in ward a sufficient distance, it willclose the opening 29 and then, on further movement, will force theliquid upwardly into the conduit 48 and since the liquid issubstantiallyincompressible, this force will be transmitted throughv the conduit ontothe oil in the chamber and this in turn will force the plunger 69'inwardly against the compression of the spring 61- for opening; the

valves-I 5. When the eccentric moves to theposition for releasing'theplunger 31, the spring 39- will seat the piston 31 against the seat 45and 7 the spring 11 of'the actuating mechanism 20 will seat the valveI5; As soon as;the plunger 31 moves sufficiently to open the passage 29,the oil within the cylinder'24a'will againbe in cornmunication with theoil reservoir and. the pressure in the two, will immediately equalize.The cylinder 24a is preferably oflarger diameter than the cylinders 12so that the plungers31'will move i only afraction of the distancemoved-by the pis-.

tons 69. Any, ratio may .be employedbut in the distance of the plunger31. w

7 It will thus be seen that by;meanssof this ari rangeme'nt; the oil inthe. conduits 48 andactuated mechanism is continuously replenished eacha time the corresponding valve is operated because, l

after each operation, the pressure in the entire system is equalized.This is considered an important feature of the. invention because itin-* sures uniformity. inthe .operationof the mechanism. I

is 1, 2, 4, 3 and that the shaft 52 isdriven in the Assuming that thefiring order of theengine same direction as the crank shaft Ill andthegear 59, then the operation of the intake valves will berebresentedin Fig. 6 by the corresponding numrals l, 2, 4, 3 and the exhaust may-berepresentcd by 3a, la, 2a and 4a. In other words,

when the exhaust for number 2 cylinder is actuated, -the'intake forvalve number 1 would be operated simultaneously or with a slight lag.

The order of valve operation maybe changed as desired since it wouldonly'necessitate changing the wiring for the spark and changing conduits48 to the proper corresponding casings 63. While-inthe present inventionthere are two feren't planes, on the same shaft, it is understood I camsor eccentrics, one for the exhaust valves] and one for the intakevalves, mounted in dif-- 2,3oe,1a1 I adapted to be filled by a liquid, aplurality of cylinders within said shaft casing and extendin radiallyacross said reservoir each having an' opening in its side wall incommunication with said reservoir, said second-named cylinders beingarranged radially around a circuit, valve operating means, each meanscomprising a piston and a cylinder for each valve within said enginecasing,

a liquid filled conduit between each cylinder in said camshaft casingand a corresponding cylin der of said means, the piston ofeach meansbeing inwardly of the corresponding conduit and engaging acorrespondingvalve stem, a plunger in each cylinder in said cam shaftcasing movable to a position to close said opening and beyond .foroperating the piston of the corresponding that the cams or eccentricsmay be mounted in r the same plane on the shaft which may easily be doneby 'a'rranging the cylinders 24 and 24a in a common plane spacedangularly instead of laterally.

member, said 'last-n amed' plungers each being adapted to be engaged byone of said cam ele- It is thought'from the foregoing, taken in con- 7the construction and operation of my device will -be apparent to thoseskilled in the art and that changes in size, shape, proportion anddetail may bemade without departing from the'splrit' and scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine, anannular oil resernection with the accompanying drawings, that] voircomprising a pair of concentric rings spaced apart, cylinders carried bysaid rings, the bores of said cylinders extendin through both rings, acomplementary set of rings spaced apart radially and having 'cylindersrigidly connected thereto, the bores 01' said cylinders extendingradially through bothofisaid last-namedf'rings, and'circular end'platessecured to the outer sides of both sets of rings to form an-annularchamber definedby said plates and rings. 1

2.-'-Inafdevice of the class described, a multi- "cylinderginternalcombustion, engine, an intake and an texhaust'valvefor each cylinder, anoil reserv'oir in the form of a hollow 'a'nnulus se- Y cured to the saidengine and arranged ina vertical plane, a short shaftliaving a pair ofeccentric enlargements thereon extending axially through saidhollow'annulus, hydraulic mechanisrn iorfoperating' said, valves, saidmechanism ments for causingsaid last-named plungers to operate thepistons of the valve operating means by hydraulic pressure through saidconduit, and means for maintaining a constant pressure on said reservoirduring the operation of said engine.

, 4.,In'a valve operating mechanismfor an lnternal'combustion engine, acasing, a, short shaft having eccentrics thereon within said casing,anti-friction bearings on said eccentrics, an an' nular oil-filledreservoir extending around said shaft and spaced therefrom, cylindersextending radially through said reservoir and having ports in the sidewalls thereof in communication with said reservoir, pistons within saidcylinders engaging said anti-friction bearingsyvalve operating plungers,cylinders for said plungers, oil-filled conduits forming liquid columnsbetween said pistons and plunger-s whereby when said shaft is rotatedfor reciprocating said pistons the reciprocomprising conduits forcontaining oil; one for each valve, an inner amen outer cylinder and Iplungenat the inner and outer endsflof each of" said conduits;respectively, the plungers f at the inner ends'of said conduitsbeing';arranged radially ma circle around-said'sliaft; said'innercylindershaving' ports in the sidewalls incom munication "with saidreservoir and adapted to be opened'and closed by said inner-pistons intimed relation,': and" a ball'bearing secured .on'

cation'of said pistons will intermittently open and close said ports andwill operate said plungers in response to the operation of said pistonswhile said ports are closed, and means for maintaining a substantiallyconstant pressure of the oil within said reservoir.

5;In an internal combustion engine having a cylinder casing providedwitha plurality of cylinders andintake and exhaust valves for each cylinder,a casing secured to the front end of said cylinder casing, saidsecond-named casing being provided with radially arranged cylinders,

pistons in said last-named cylinders, said secondnamed casing-having areservoir containing a liquid in communication with each of saidlastnamed cylinders when the cooperating piston is .at a predeterminedposition in its cycle of operation, a valve perating plunger, a cylinderfor said plunger, a liquid column 'between each i for operating saidpistons for operating said"- valves through said liquid columns and saideach eccentric" enlargement and having its outer races engaging saidinner plungers ,forioperating the same for hydraulically operating theouter;

plungers for opening a the corresponding. valves.

I I 3. 'In an 'internal combustion multi-cylind'er fengine having anengine "casing surrounding the engine, intake and exhaust valves forsaid en- .glIle, a camshaft casingsecuredto an fe'nd of said enginecasing-and comprising-facentral hollow portion, 'a comparatively shorthorizontally arranged shaft rotatably mounted-insaid hollowv portion,eccentric cameler'nentsibn said shaft, all the camelements'being'ai'ranged intwo vertical planes, a :liquid reservoirformed by 'said shaft casing isolated from said hollow portion andplunger and its corresponding piston, cam'means plungers, said reservoirsurrounding and spaced from said cam means, and" means including a pumpand a relief valvefor supplying oil from v the crank case of said engineto said reservoir and 'for maintaining the volume and pressure onsaid'reservoir substantially constant while said.

pistons-are inoperative during the operation 0 said engine, 6. Inaninternal combustion engine, a cylinder block comprising a cylinder head,a set of intake and a set of exhaust valves slidably mounted in saidhead, a Short shaft, a Pair of eccentrics carried by said shaft, 9. ballbearing for each eccentric, each ball bearing having its inne'rracerigidly mounted on the corresponding eccentric, hydraulic meansincluding a body of liquid and a liquid column for each valve foroperating the latter, means for placing the liquid column intermittentlyin communication with said body of liquid, said means comprisingcylindersarranged radially around said shaft, two sets ofreciprocating'plungers for said cylinders arranged radially about theouter races oi! said ball bearings and engageable therewith foroperating said liquid columns, two sets of plungers engaged by the outerends of said liquid columns for opening said intake and exhaust valvesin timed relation to the operation 01 the first-named plungers, springmeans for closing said valves, and means for automatically maintainingsaid body of liquid under a. substantially constant pressure during theoperation or said engine, and adjustable means for varying suchpressure.

7. Inan internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, anintake and an exhaust valve for each cylinder and a crank case forcontaining lubricating oil, hydraulically operated mechanism forindependently operating said valves, said mechanism comprising anannular receptacle containing oil, a cylinder for each ,valve extendingradially into said receptacle and having a port in its side wall, aplunger for each cylinder, a piston in contact with each valve, a columnor oil between said plunger and piston for each valve, means foroperating said plungers for alternately opening and closing said portsand for reciprocating saidoil columns for operating said valves, andmeans including a pump and a spring-pressed check valve opening in thedirection or flow of oil through the last-named means for supplying oilfrom the crank case of said engine to said mechanism and for maintaininga constant pressure onthe oil within said receptacle.

8. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders,intake and exhaust valves for said cylinders. hydraulic mechanism foroperating said valves, means for operating said mechanism, saidmechanism comprising an annular reservoir for containing oil, two setsof cylinders extending radially into said reservoir, both sets beingarranged around said reservoir in separate vertical planes adjacent toeach other, each of said cylinders having a port in its side wall incommunication with the oil in said reservoir, a piston for each ofthe-last-named cylinders, an intake and an exhaust valve for each or thefirst-named cylinders, means including conduits and hydraulic columns ofoil within said conduits for operating said valves by said pistons,respectively, means including a pump for automatically maintaining aconstant super-atmospheric pressure on the oil in said reservoir duringthe operation of the said engine, a conduit between the crankcase of,the engine and-the upper portion of said reservoir, a supply conduitbetween the pump and said reservoir, means for controlling the amount orpressure on the reservoir, said means comprising a spring-pressed valvein said first-named conduit above the reservoir adapted to be openedwhen the pressure within said reservoir exceeds a predetermined amount,and means for operating said pistons in a predetermined order forcausing the operation of said intake and exhaust valves; 7,

9. In an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves, anannular casing secured to the front end of said engine and having aliquid reservoir therein, valve actuating plungers within saidreservoir, means including a pair of eccentrics for operating saidplungers by said engine, valve operating pistons, hydraulic meansincluding conduits and a column of oil for each, conduit engaging'thecorresponding valve for operating the same and for operating saidpistons when said plungers are operated, cylinders extending throughsaid casing for said plungers, said liquid reservoir being incommunication with each cylinder at a predetermined position in themovement or said plungers, a liquid within said reservoir, meansincluding pump mechanism for automatically maintaining asuper-atmospheric pressure on said reservoir, a conduit in communicationwith the upper portion of said reservoir; a pressure operated valvewithin said conduit for conducting air and liquid from said reservoirwhen air accumulates therein and the pressure therein rises above apredetermined amount, and means for adiusting the pressure at which saidvalve will open.

' 10. In a valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion enginecomprising actuating pistons, actuated plungers adapted to engage thevalves of said engine, a plurality of liquid ,columns for transmittingforce from said pistons to said plungers for operating said plungers,aliquid reservoir, means for placing the columns of liquid, first oneand then the other, independently of one another, in communication withthe liquid in said reservoir tor replenishing loss of liquid in saidcolumns, a housing extending upwardly from the upper portion or saidreservoir and in communication therewith, a conduit connected to thebase of said housing above said reservoir, means including a pump forcontinu ously discharging a liquid into said housing through saidconduit, an outlet in communication with said housing above saidreservoir, and

an adjustable pressure relief valve in said outlet above said reservoirfor maintaining a constant pressure on the liquid within said reservoirand for permitting the discharge of air that may be pumped into saidreservoir.

11. In a device of the class described, a multicylinder internalcombustion engine, intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder, an oilreservoir casing formed by two hollow annular members engaging eachother, side plates engaging the outer faces of said members andcooperating with said members to form said reservoir, one of saidmembers having a set of cylinders extending radially through saidreservoir for the intake valves of said engine and the other memberhaving a second set of cylinders extending through said reservoir forthe exhaust valves of said engine, a ,anism comprising a piston and acylinder for I each valve mounted adjacent to each valve, a

conduit between each cylinder of each set and the correspondinglast-named cylinder, said conduit and reservoir containing oil, meansfor adlusting one of said membersangularly relatively to the other, ashort'shaft, a pair of eccentrics on said shaft, a pair of ball bearingshaving their inner races fixedon said eccentrics, the outer race of ballbearings engaging said plungers for operating the corresponding pistonsfor operating the intake and exhaust valves of said engine,

respectively, said reservoir extending around said eccentrics and spacedtherefrom.

\ EARL LOSSAU.

plunger for each cylinder, actuated mech-

